CocoBolo

Ok, I went out to my metal building got my Gold Team mags out and loaded up 4 of them. I don't have any gap between the first and second round. My gun runs 100%. I measured the widest points on the brass cases. .408. I use a case pro, but if new brass gives you the same problem that is not the issue. I also use 124 gr RN Montana Gold bullets with OAL of 1.255-1.260. I am shooting range pickup 38 Super Comp all brands and some have been loaded more times than I would want to count. I had a lot of issues with brass until I found the right powder, aka not too much pressure. I use N350 at 8.0 gr. I was using IMR 7625 at 7.3 gr, but it was a tad high on pressure. I also have used New TJ and StarLine and they both worked flawlessly. I paint my brass with Dykem, makes it easy to find on the range so I only lose a few pieces at each match. I can shoot these bullets in either the Gold Team or my Sti the both run 100%. My thought is tune the springs. Bend the spring so that it puts more pressure on the front of the bullet. Also looking from the back side of the bullet the follower should lean about 15-20 degrees to the right. When I unloaded the mags the rounds strip out easy and smooth. I have Grams followers, I have no idea where the springs came from, but they fit and all appear to have been cut off with dull pliers. I also have a few mags with those red Tanfo followers, they also work. Hope this helps.

I just wanted to say that the second video showed a lot of improvement. One thing in the second video that I think is important is that you establish the weak hand grip closer in before pushing the gun out. I personally have been working on this in my dry fire. I found that with my open gun when I establish the weak hand close into the body and push the gun out I will be on target every time. This is my second year, just the beginning but I do an average of 6 matches or more a month. Being old I have to keep shooting or my muscles forget what they are supposed to do. On the down side your knees were not bent but you were not in the sitting down pose as before. The big thing with having the knees bent is so you can rotate the upper body shooting at an array of tragets, rotating the upper body keeps the eye and the gun in the same relationship. If your knees are locked up you can't swivel the hip, you will move your arms and this is when the misses start happening. I think that this becomes more important in Open than in Iron sights, if you lose the dot its real bad. You need a timer if you don't have one get one. Practice technique then do the runs with an easy par time set, then as you get better lower the par time. Stagger your target arrays different spacing overlapping and upper and lower, don't always draw to a 5 foot target mix it up a bit. I worked at trying to shoot faster for some time as that is what people kept telling me. So at a match I handed the RO my timer, after all was said and done I reviewed the shots. My splits were .21 to .22 my transitions were about .48-.54. I quit working at shooting faster, I already shoot plenty fast I started working on the 80% which is movement on the stage, planning the stage, reloading etc, I have been doing better at matches since I did that. I still try to dry fire 30 minutes a day and at least 1 hour for two weeks before any major match. I have the Burkett viedo and watch it again every few months. Good Luck and Keep working at it, it takes time and lots of practice. One more thing Attack the Stage be deliberate and smooth, smooth is fast. There is a 80 year old lady that shoots open she looks like she's on a Sunday walk, but she is smooth and fast.

I ordered Book with a free press last year and it took about 8 weeks and no they don't communicate but I did finally get it and it was like a suprise since I had forgotten about it. I have not ordered anthing else from them, I get Lee stuff from MidwayUsa (good company) or Grafs.com also a good company. I had to wait 4 months for Hornady 40 Cal Dies this year, that is how far behind these places are with products! I use to order primers on Monday get them on Wednesday and shoot them on Saturday order them now shoot them next year maybe.

Heavy metal should be: Single stack pistol, .45ACP 8+1 Max 12 Ga. Pump Shotgun, 6+1. .308 winchester or abov, Iron sights, 20 round max, no mag cinch, Sling attached, no comps or brakes unless they are original to that rifle. I'm on board with these, other wise shoot tactical or open. Lets don't let 3 Gun Rules get to be like Little League.

Those things are what I call Fat Boys, I have a 5 gallon bucket I throw bad brass in when it is full I take all them fat boys to the salvage yard. Redding has a new sizing die called a G-RX that pushes the brass all the way thru the die, it will size them, but looking at those I would be afraid to shoot them afterwards they are just morbidley obese. I tried the EGW die didn't do it, so I ground it down so it would go further down the brass that didn't work either, so I became an RO now I got plenty too much brass, ama a great tan. I wind up throwing 30% in the salvage bucket. I de-prime and size then drop check them in the SAMMI gauge it they pass they go up to the case feeder. Its a shame to waste primers when there is such a shortage. I would never offend the Dillon users, its a great loader. I sold my Dillon dies and replaced them with Hornady, after that I quit using One Shot and have more time to spend with the Wife. Spray a little one shot on your brass roll them around and it will make sizing easier, but it won't cure the Fat Boys, they just need to go to the crusher.

I was not going to shoot this match. I made the mistake of looking at the stages. Once I saw the stages I had to shoot the match. These are awsome stages look like lots of fun so come on out and shoot. If you are faster than I am please disregard this invitation. Just kidding, I'm not that fast. See you at the Match. I'll be your RO on one of the Stages.

I have a Gold Team V8 38 Super and it runs 100% on all 15 of the mags that I have one is a big stick the others are 24 rd with base pads some are Meccar. I do use a case pro on my 38 SuperComp brass, only becsuse I picked up a lot of range brass that was fat boyed like it came out of a glock. I am going to assume that you keep your mags clean, if a mag hits the dirt it gets cleaned before it is used again. Given all that I have read, I would put a new slide stop in the gun and see if that cures the issue. There is a nice Video on how to load high cap mags on Hennings Site, I started loading mine like he does in the video and have had no problems. Another thing I always do is shake the mag after it is loaded if it rattles that is a problem that will happen sometimes you take a round out and put it back and no more rattle. I have a couple of favorite mags I like them beacause the are easy to load the springs seem to be real weak but they always work well. I have both Grams and Dawson followers as well as a few Tanfogilio's all seem to work. I have a Witness 40 I shot limited with for a while and the only feed issue I had with it was locking open with one round in the mag, I fixed that it never locked open again. I have more problems with my STI mags than the Eaa mags and gun. The STI mags take little dirt to stop working and if you lose count and try to poke an extra one in the round winds up under the follower. I have a 40 Silver Team open, that gun will jam at whim mostly stove pipes when the round is not hot enough if it ain't 175 pf or up it just won't run. If you slightly limp rist like when shooting over and wall at low targets your going to wind up with a double feed and have to drop the mag. I had some issues early on when I was using a real nasty dirty powder HS6, the gun would get very dirty during a match and get sluggish and I would have to clean it. I use N350 now and shoot 300+ round matches with ease and even double shot the gun at one match with no issues.

Big H - The only way not to have feed issues with reloads is the plunk check aka SAMMI gauge. If it drops into the gauge then is will drop into the chamber. There are a lot of people shooting Glocks well. Since you are already use to shooting a hinged trigger gun the adjustment to the Glock might not be that bad. The Glock is light weight and easy to drive but expect more recoil and muzzle flip. If you handle recoil very well then it won't slow you down that much. The CZ 75 TS and the STI Edge are both heavy guns harder to drive but your muzzle doesn't point at the moon after each shot. The STI is a sliding Trigger the CZ is a hinged trigger. Your SP01 is likewise a weight forward balance and it is all steel heavier than the Glock. Most STI Edge guns run a tungsten guide rod for even more weight out front. Some like it snappy and some like it soft, I like it soft and flat which lets me shoot fast, one reason I started shooting open. The one single most overlooked thing in picking a gun is DOES IT FIT YOU? With my STI guns I had to change the main spring housing so that the gun pointed to my natural point of aim. If the gun does not you are constantly fighting it and that slows you down. A lot of people don't fit the Glock, especially those with smaller hands. Emanual Bragg can pony up with 23 rounds in his STI limited gun, if your limited gun can't get it up with 21 to 23 rounds you will be at a disadvantage on some field courses. Good luck with what ever you choose. See ya on the range.

Have you consider the CZ 75 Tactical Sport in 40. This makes an excellent Limited gun right out of the box. I have one for sale on the USPSA Site, might consider a Trade on your SP01. 40 isn't as hard to load as 9 mm. You get a lot of rejects from range brass. I deprime and size in one operation then drop check them before loading. I use either N320 or WST for powder and have never had an issue with pressure. I know what pressure is I shoot a 38 Super Comp in Open and I have had primers blow thru and cases split and flat primers. Cured all that with N350. I use Hornady Dies this helps a lot. Don't waste your money on the udersized dies they don't help. Redding has a new G-RX die to fully size the 40, I have one on order.

I voted STI. I started out with a CZ75 Tactical Sport, and they are excellent limited guns at half the cost of an STI and make no mistake they are very reliable. So Why STI? I shoot the STI Edge because it will shoot Precision Moly coated bullets and I can load them long, this produces one soft shooting round. I have two loads I use WST 4.7g with 185gr precision loaded to 1.19 or 4.3 gr of N320. These loads shoot soft and make power factor. With the CZ I had to use Jacketed bullets, with the 180 it took 5.2gr of WST to make major, that extra powder makes the gun rock too much for me. I could shoot the lead bullets in the CZ but spending hours with a chore boy cleaning the lead out was just too much for me. If you are shooting a hinged trigger gun give the CZ 75 TS a ride you will love it. If you are a sliding trigger shooter stick to the sliding triggers.

Does anyone know how many slots total in the Open and or Limited Nationals. I slept thru the opening of the wait list and now have #190 for the Limited and #268 for open. What are my chances of coming up the list? Last year were your the hightest Number on the wait list to get a slot and what was your Number? A while back a firend of mine a GM got his slot and asked me if I was going to the Nationals. I asked him what would a "D" class shooter do there. Well I just made C in Limited and Open so my question is no longer valid. Of course a C won't win but they could learn a lot and have fun.

Wow. I shoot open, its harder than limited. The recoil in the open gun is straight back with little flip, like a baseball bat hitting you in the palm. This isn't the answer. I won an XD the wife and I shot it because she wanted to, it sucked. Steel is unforgiving and hard on all new shooters. My wife loves her CZ75 B and can mow down steel with ease. The ticket was the Angus Hobdell Hammer and a trigger job. Her stance isn't that good and her grip isn't either but she hits very well. Any new shooter except a natural born Rambo is going to take about 10,000 rounds to break the brains natural tendancy to jerk and flench so give her a break let her waste some ammo, jusk keep her shooting long enough she will get better. I recommend any 9 mm that fits her hand and has a decent trigger of <3 lbs, crisp and short helps. Keep working on the grip and the stance. Keep giving encouragment and keep expectations realistic, but keep her shooting. I load 125gr 9 mm with 4.3 gr of WST at normal length. Her gun has a 15lb main spring and an 11 pound recoil spring, this shoots all ammo and the recoil is light it makes minor and most importantly it knocks down steel. You can drop the powder down to 3.8 gr and the gun will run fine and make enough noise no one will notice its light but it won't knock down steel without a good hit. This is a good practice training load to help her gain confidence with the gun. In USPSA I don't try to shoot faster I try to move faster, reload faster and draw faster, and take each shot in its own time depending on the difficulty. Its a visual thing I shoot when I see what I need to shoot.

I shoot 200gr MolyCoated RN in 45. I like WST at 4.7 gr for major. I also have tried N320 at 4.8 gr and only got 140 pf. I just bought some Clays and hope that it works well. I will agree that of these powders N320 is the cleanest. N320 does work very well in 40 for Limited with 185gr Moly LFN bullets at 4.4 gr for major replacing my prior favorite WST load at 4.8 gr. TiteGroup is just the dirtest powder I have shot but again works well in 40 with 200gr Jacketed bullets at 4.3 for major. With cast bullets and TiteGroup the targets are not visible for the smoke.

You forgot one of the best matches in Texas the Texas State Limited in August. I can assure you that you would love to have a little rain during that one to cool it off. Also honorable mention for the Summer Shootout put on by RiverCity shooters, not a major because it costs only $40.00 but 7 great stages and a well run match, its a cash back event. I was an RO at Double Tap and Space City the weather was great at both for shooting, lousy for the match. Tune up in October for Area 4 at the Gator, it is a very good match with a great prize table.

It was a great match last year, I was done by 2 pm. Bring on the swingers and drop turners and throw in a couple of snapping clam shells, been there done that from a swinging bridge while dragging a dummy. I'm going to shoot tactical, so best of luck, nothing personal if I dethrone you.

James I sure would like to try some Solo for 45 cal, can you bring me a cup full at the next match? I can attest that your loads seem to shoot soft the gun barley moves and I can't even hear the thing, it just goes poot poot poot, it knocks down steel and puts holes in card board. I'll bring my Chrono and we will see if it makes power factor. I just mortgaged my house and bought a pound of N320, Yikes $30.00 a pound. Ron Mann

That Gizmo sure looks like a good deal. This is the same principal as the Magma Engineering sizer only about $300 cheaper. If I go back to limited I will sure get one. This should work on all rimless cases like 9 mm, 40 S&W as well as the 45. I use a CasePro for 38 Super and Super Comp, at $.145 each you don't just throw them away, and they are not laying all over the range after a match. They have a rim so the Gizmo wouldn't work.

I load 38 Super Comp on LNL. I gave up on the powder thur expander and use the Hornady New Deminson Expander it works better than any thing I have tried. I got rid of my Dillon 38 Super Die, they are junk, blue or not. Loading with the Hornady Die requires much less effort and the loaded rounds come out a lot beter and consistent. I have also tired the Egw under sized die and other Lee dies the Hornady Die are the best. I also load 40, 9 mm, 45, and 223. There are a few tricks that you learn on the LNL. The spring ejector takes a little adjusting and the shell plate tension also is important a little too much and you don't get the right index for primers too little and cases start leaning making it hard to size and deprime. When you get the ejector right you can use the 5 th station and cases don't shoot across the room. Also put a little lub on the ejector spring at the shell plate washer to keep it from backing out the bolt. Take a look at the powder measure from time to time, I had the plastic tube fall off and got a lap full of powder. I like your mod, if I start using the powder thur I may try it. I also use a case pro for 38 Super Comp, this makes for a very reliable open gun. A lot of 38 Super brass is bulged like glocks because they are loaded with too much pressure, look at your primers if they are flat chances are the bottom of the case is pooched out. I use N350 shoots soft makes power factor consistently and no pressure signs. Make life easy get a pistol powder insert for every caliber you load, just pop it out then put the next one in and save 15 or 20 minutes adjusting the powder measure, the bushing are great set it forget it pop it in pop it out. I have had mine for a year, 15,000+ rounds thur it no problems. I'm going for the case feeder. Let me know how the bullet feeder works. Ron

The first thing I will say is look at you SWC are there very sharp edges on the bullet. I shot 45 SWC and have run into a few particual bullets that I just have not been able to use. The best SWC that I have used is the Precision 200 GR SWC with an OAL of 1.260 and it has fed in every gun I have tried it in. I tried Precison Delta SWC 200 gr that have the sharp edges and finaly sold them to some one else. I have loaded the Precison SWC at lenghts for 1.240 to 1.260 but prefer the longer for a little softer recoil. Be careful to get a good crimp on 45 bullets, the first sign you don't have enough crimp is a failure to go into battery. This happens even when it falls into a SAMMI gauge, like factory ammo. I crimp mine down to just below .4570 and there are no problems. I use Winchester WST at 4.7-4.8 gr with the 200 SWC. 4.7 gives a 168 pf and 4.8 hits 172 pf. I have not finished testing but am currently working with N320 to come up with a soft shooting load at 168-172 pf, the initial testing seems to be softer than WST. I do not use TiteGroup with non jacketed bullets as it is a little too fast for them. I have loaded down to 3.8 gr and the gun runs and knocks down steel plates at steel shoots. I shoot a BC Armory custom built Caspian, I won it at the Lousiana Gator Classic, so this gun is very tight absolutely accurate but very critical on ammo. Ron Mann A62392

Wow are you trying to blow youself up? I use Zero 124 gr and Montana Gold 124 gr RN bullets. RN's reduce feed issues over JHP's. First I went thru a lot of powders and found that N350 is great and I load it at 7.8 gr for major and for major matches I may load 7.9 gr just for Insurance. I load at an OAL of 1.260 for both my STI Briley and V8 Gold Team. This is by far the best powder I have tried. A lot of Open shooters run rifle primers, but I just use CCI small pistol. Rifle primers mask the pressure signs. Federal primers are very soft I use them in my Limited Guns but not open as you will get crap in you face followed by a jam when the primer punches thru. 7.3 gr of IMR7625 will make major in most Open Guns shoots fairly soft shows pressure signs. I have loaded IMR4756 to 9.2 gr good feel but messy to load. TruBlue to 8.3 gr soft shooter but high pressure. Get a chrono MidWay has the CED Digital on sale for $89.00 mine is on the way. I also have a PACT Timer Chrono but I have used a friends CED and they work fine. Every gun and shooter has its preference mine is low recoil, clean, and low pressure, plus making power factor as well as being temprature, humidity and altitued insensitive, VV N350. Ram Shot Siloutte is also a decent powder for those that insist on having a cheap powder to handicapp themselves.

I just started developing a load for my 38 Super Gold team. Here are the loads that have failed to make major and appear to be at the edge of too much pressure. 124 gr Zero and 8.3 gr of True Blue - StarLine brass - PF 158. (nice soft and flat). 124 gr Zero and 8.8 gr of HS 6 - fps varies by 100 fps top at 1346 or 166 pf. (snappy and a little hard to control). More muzzle flip than my limited gun. 124 gr Zero IMS4756 @ 9.0 gr - shootble but did not crono, recoil and muzzle flip in between the two above. Still working on finding the best load for my style of shooting.